'In the year 2050 I'll be 62 years old!", I said to Professor Drake, with a very worried look on my face. 'I'll be old and grey. I don't think I can handle this".
"It's all right, Harriet, be brave you'll be right, and, quite frankly, my dear, 62 isn't that old!" he replied.
Professor Drake and I had been searching through my Uncle Julius' house. The house stood at the end of Jacaranda Avenue, abandoned since my Uncle's death in 1963. The Professor was a teacher at my school and had a keen interest in local history. He was a short, thin man with white curly hair springing out all over his head, he wore small glasses which were constantly sitting on the end of his nose. He knew the local gossip of the town was the house was haunted and Uncle Julius had been mad. On his deathbed he was rambling about bugs that would bring havoc to the world. This didn't worry the Professor, and so one hot summer afternoon, after school, the two of us decided to explore.We roamed every room of the house, until we came to the library. Both of us were very interested in examining the books that were left in the house. As I lifted one from the shelf we heard a loud click, part of the bookcase opened up revealing a dusty old staircase leading downwards.
Descending the stairs we found a strange vehicle. It was like nothing we had ever seen before. I felt sure it had been made from old junk collected at the tip. Pipes and hoses were hanging from everywhere. A note was attached to one of the doors. It read:TO THOSE WHO DARE TO FOLLOW;
I HAVE TRAVELLED TO THE YEAR 2050.
THERE, I WAS WARNED OF THE BUG THAT THE NEW MILLENNIUM WILL BRING. I AM TOO WEAK TO DESTROY IT.
I HOPE THERE WILL BE SOMEONE TO COMPLETE MY MISSION.The Professor and I instantly knew that Uncle Julius had been warned about the Millennium Bug, we knew what we had to do - complete Uncle Julius' mission!
We dialed the year 2050, put our seat belts on, and pressed the start button. The machine shakily rose off the ground, billowing smoke and spun around rapidly. After a few minutes it lowered itself to the floor and stopped. The Professor and I slowly got out. I was feeling very dizzy and sick, I could see the Professor was in the same condition.
Climbing the stairs we found the door leading back into the library still ajar. The room was basically the same as when we had left, but was dark, dreary and smelled musty. It wasn't what I had expected from the future, in fact, it looked as if time had not progressed at all, instead as if things had deteriorated. We wondered into the hallway, and came face to face with an elderly woman who looked vaguely like my grandmother. She smiled and said "I've been waiting for you, come into the kitchen and sit down".
We followed her into the kitchen, and sat down at the table. The Professor was still suffering the effects of dizziness, he was quite willing for me to handle the conversation.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"Don't you recognise me, have a good look Harriet".
I looked straight into her face, I saw red curly hair, freckles splattered over her nose, large round blue eyes and triangled shaped ears, I knew those ears anywhere, I'd been trying to hide them under my hair for as long as I could remember. She was me!"Let's get down to business" she said, "There's no time to waste. I gather you know why you're here?"
"Yes, to learn the secret of the Millennium Bug virus, and how to destroy it". I answered.
"Yes, my dear, what people didn't realise, back in your time, was the bug wasn't just a computer virus, it was the real thing. Alive, living and thriving inside computers, the size of a bee, it traveled from computer to computer by way of E-mail and the Internet destroying all data in its path. Not only will all computers cease to exist if the bug is allowed to live, but as you can see from our existence, all modern technology will stop working. You must destroy the bug and you only have until New Year's Eve, otherwise at the dawn of the new Millennium it will be strong enough to take over".
"But how? How can we do this!" It was a wonder I could get these words out at all. How was an 11 year old girl and an old Professor going to save the world.
"I can't give you any answers, Harriet, I can only advise you that you mustn't use any chemicals, as the bug feeds and grows on pollutants. You must return to your own time now and get to work!"We returned to the time machine and dialed 1999. Both of us were too stunned for any conversation, our minds too preoccupied with the thought of what could be used to kill this insect invader.
As we entered my home I heard my Mother's voice and it dawned on me. "Mum", I yelled. "Where's that thing you used to hit the flies with years aqo, have you thrown it out?"
"Of course not, dear", she answered. "You know me, I never throw anything out. It's hanging up in the broom cupboard".
I searched the cupboard and there it was. I grabbed the fly swatter and turned to the Professor.
'This is it", I said displaying my prize. "See no chemicals!" I slipped the swatter into my belt, the Professor and I headed for the front door, I looked at my mother and gave her a wave goodbye.We were armed and off to save the world.
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